Welcome to our end of year series of interviews with the people behind the award-winning bars from this year’s Boothby Best Bars Awards program. Next up is Dani and Oska Whitehart, co-owners of Bar Bellamy in Melbourne.
Carlton neighbourhood joint, Bar Bellamy, picked up two of the major awards at this year’s Boothby Best Bars VIC Awards back in September. Not only did they land at number two on the Top 50, they also were the winners of The Best Cocktail Bar in Victoria presented by Mezcal Illegal for the second year running, and also took home the prize for Best Bar Eats in Victoria presented by Estrella Damm.
It’s proof that Bar Bellamy is one of that state’s go to bars for hospitality, and the bar’s popularity allowed the owners Dani and Oska Whitehart to open their second venue, Melitta Next Door, earlier this year (and right next door to Bellamy).
Below, Dani and Oska talk about why it is that their bar resonates with the industry, how they’re approaching the challenges of unpredictable patronage, and how they’re thinking about the challenges that lie ahead in 2026.
BOOTHBY: In your opinion, what is it about your bar that resonates with the bar industry?
DANI & OSKA: We think a big part of the appeal with Bar Bellamy is people can see everyone here is trying and we care. Particularly with the drinks programme you can see the thirst for knowledge and the drive to keep learning. We’re working on ways to effectively share the techniques and processes going into each drink, as it’s definitely something we’ve noticed people are interested in.
BOOTHBY: How do you describe your bar to people who are only just learning of it?
DANI & OSKA: Neighbourhood cocktail bar, where you feel like a regular even on your first visit. The food is nostalgic European with a heavy French lean, we want you to feel like you’re at a friends dinner party where each time you look something new and yummy is on the table and there’s another cocktail in your hand.
BOOTHBY: What’s the most popular to order classic cocktail at your bar?
DANI & OSKA: Martini, Martini, Martini. People will always go for what’s comfortable when they’re first dabbling in cocktails and usually that cocktail is a Negroni and we do get a lot of those, but with each passing day it seems like more people are ordering a Martini. Dirty Vodka Martinis seem to be the gateway cocktail at the moment, particularly with younger crowds.
BOOTHBY: Can you describe the attributes you look for in a bartender at your bar?
DANI & OSKA: Obviously someone who’s warm and personable. It’s a small space and very intimate with your guests so you need to be able to make someone feel at home enough that they can relax with you. We look for skill without the ego also. You can be the best technical bartender in the world but if the team and guests don’t gel with you and there’s a holier than thou attitude, you’re forgetting why we’re doing this — to create hospitable spaces. Not to say you can’t have confidence, but we strongly believe the more you learn the more you know there is more to learn. If you think you know it all, you probably (definitely) don’t. A bit of the Dunning-Kruger effect I guess.
BOOTHBY: What rough percentage of the sales mix is cocktails?
DANI & OSKA: 45-50 percent.
BOOTHBY: How are you finding business in a general sense - are the people out there spending like they did a year ago? Better or worse?
DANI & OSKA: Overall a better year than last, particularly winter. People do seem to be a bit happier to part with their money but the unpredictability of each week has been a bit of a head spinner. We’ll staff up on a Friday but then we’re under the pump on a Thursday. Okay great — the last three Thursdays have been pumping let’s staff up, oh no wait it’s quiet and instead we got pummelled on Monday. We never know which way it is coming, but hey at least it comes.
BOOTHBY: What’s the biggest challenge the bar faces as a business over the next year?
DANI & OSKA: Consistency, not just of product but of guest experience. Finding that drive to keep pushing and innovating and sharing that knowledge now we’re almost three years old (in April)!
BOOTHBY: What gives you hope and optimism as a bar owner for 2026?
DANI & OSKA: Melbourne’s drink scene and the Australian drink scene as a whole. We are on an island and we have incredible bars, the more we all grow and foster community within this industry the better we all become. We have that benefit because it is quite insular. The more great bars that open, that hit goals along with transparency and sharing of knowledge — we’ll all continue to lift together. That is bloody cool! It sounds corny but truly that is a huge benefit we have here and it’s something we discovered isn’t universal. It encourages more eyes on Australia. More is more!
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